Red Shark Investigations
by SilverMikazuki
Summary: It's Red's turn for a story. In this one he has his own case, one whose outcome is as shocking as any other. RedxMoon; Shounen ai, Romance and Slash!
1. Turning Point

**Red Shark Investigations**

A Half Moon Investigations Story

A RedxMoon Story

Talking _thinking_ Narration

**Author's Notes: **Fate has a way getting things done. And getting this story written is one of them. I recently moved, and was stuck at the apartment, with no television or internet, waiting for the cable guy to show up. Bored, I rifled through a box of my old books and dug this one out! I reread it cover-to-cover within the day and LOVED IT again. But, THIS time, I had a fanfiction account and an ability to write. Oh, and a want to write a story with Red and Fletcher, together. Hope ya like it and please don't flame. Oh… and don't read if you really hate **yaoi** or **shounen ai.**

**Chapter 1**

**Turning Point**

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MY NAME IS RED. Red Sharkey. And I am NOT a private detective. A few months ago I partnered with a long time enemy to clear our names and it sparked a _very _unnatural team up. Red Sharkey and Fletcher Moon, not a pair many would think possible. But since that time we'd solved countless cases and grew to be incredibly close friends. Strange, I never really had any friends… and now my best one was a huge dork. Still, I wouldn't have it any other way… or wouldn't have had it any other way. Until last week.

That's how Moon usually starts these recountings, right? Well however he did it, that was his story, not mine. This, this is my story. What story you ask? Shut it and I'll tell you. It all began last week, during a case of course. A boy from a local school had recruited us to get to the bottom behind a rash of embarrassing circumstances that seemed to befall every boy in the grade. He suspected it to be a girl in the grade, one who was rejected by each and every boy "attacked." It seemed like a wrap up case, all we needed was a bit of proof to take to the principal and the embarrassment would stop. Finding the evidence though… that was going to be a _bit_ hard. Turned out that the only time she would be in spying range was… during a sleepover. And _guess_ where we had to hide, a closet. Yes, that's right.

_**The Night of The Investigation**_

"_Hurry Fletch," I whispered, peeking through the open door of the rented party room. "The girls will be here soon."_

_ Half Moon huffed, panting as he scurried over the wall I had jumped easily. He was never going to be very athletic, but I thought our last two months had toughened him up a bit. I sighed, a small smile on my face._

_ "Don't you think I know that?" He hissed back at me. The annoyed look on his face made me laugh. I could get under his skin so easily. And I loved doing it. That face was so c- err… hilarious._

"_Oh… forgot you were a detective."_

_He glared and my smirk returned. "Shut up Red. Now let's hurry and set up the walkie-talkie before they get here."_

_I pushed open the door a bit more and snuck inside with Moon right on my tail. We were pushing it on time, but I thought we could still make it out. "We'd have more time if it hadn't taken you so long to get over the wall."_

"_Sorry I don't have the time to spend practicing my wall jumps, I have better things to do," He muttered in response._

"_Like sit home alone," I added with a laugh._

"_Better than being with you," He replied, grinning. Ooh, that one hurt. He was just kidding, but it still… wait why should I care? Oh right, He's my best friend. Of course, that's why._

_I faked a bit of sorrow to mask what I was thinking. Fletch… he could always tell what I was feeling. It was a bit unnerving at times._

"_The walkie-talkie," He whispered, his sparkling __1__blue eyes____turning to… wait whoa, too much. Umm, he looked at me. Yeah, there we go. "Red!"_

_I shook my head to clear my thoughts, "Right, here."_

_I reached into the bag and pulled out the little gadget, __**just **__as the entrance to the party room creaked open and little girls' shrieks echoed in through the doorway. My eyes widened in shock. I was __**never**__ this unobservant._

"_Quick!" I heard my partner whisper, tugging on my shirt. "In here!"_

_I looked to where he was headed. "A closet! I am __**not**__ going into the closet with you… I mean… uh."_

"_Shut up and get in. We don't have a choice," He muttered slipping inside with a blush on his face. I sighed, he was right as usual. What a thing for me to say too. I filed in just as the girls filled the room._

"_Hope you're comfy," Fletcher huffed. "We're going to have to spend the night in here."_

_My eyes widened. Oh God, he was right. We __**were**__. I grunted as his foot dug into my ribs. "Cozy as ever."_

_ The night continued on, but it was obvious that the girls weren't going to be saying anything worth catching for a __**long**__ while, so Fletcher and I – quietly as possible – talked. Sounds girly, I know, but actually… I found it refreshing. Half Moon has this wit about him. It made him funny and always gave him the right words to say. And it was a side of him I'd only gotten to know recently, a side that I felt, was mine, and mine alone. That night I learned that he had been afraid of the dark, his favorite color was black – no surprise there – and that he had always thought I was charming – which earned mutual blushes. Of course he learned that I checked out black beauty at least three times a week, had stage fright worse than anyone out there, and believed him to be the most brilliant person I'd ever met – more blushing._

_ "What __**time **__is it?" I asked impatiently as I resituated myself. It was really cramped in that closet, and I couldn't move my feet with my shoes on. Then again… the confined space meant I was that much closer to Fletcher… a-annoying, right?_

_ "It's… midnight. The girls will start talking soon," He replied, listening intently for the conversation – how he knew that, I'll never know._

_ "Thank God, I'm so uncomfortable. And my stupid shoes!" I whispered annoyingly, finally twisting out of the confined clothing. I sighed contentedly as I wiggled my toes in my bright red socks – cliché? Shut up._

_ "Whoa, Red, put your shoes back on! Your feet smell horrific," Half Moon whispered, holding his nose as he pushed my feet away._

_ "You know you like it," I replied grinning as I shoved my feet in his face._

"_Ah! God Red! Stop it!" He protested, grabbing my feet. I jumped as his fingers landed on a… sensitive spot. His eyebrow rose. _

"_Ticklish?" He asked with a sinister smile._

"_What? No!" I cried back, praying he wouldn't call my bluff. Oh shut up, like no one else is ticklish. I'm just… a bit __**sensitive**__ on my feet… is that a crime?_

_He move bit and wedged my leg in between his, leaving my right foot at his mercy. I bit my lip as he slowly pulled off the red woolen sock. The first finger down my arch sent shivers through my spine and a giggle out of my mouth._

"_Half Moon, quit it!" I ordered, the involuntary grin somehow messing with my intimidation._

_His grin widened and a few more fingers joined on his second trip across my sole. They stopped at my toes and fluttered underneath earning a trail of sniggers._

"_Fletcher! Stop, __**please,**__" I pleaded, placing a hand over my mouth. If I weren't careful, I'd give us away. And how embarrassing would __**that**__ be? Red Sharkey, spoiling a stake out with his ticklish feet. I shuddered at the thought._

"_Fletcher is it now?" He asked with a wide set grin. "No more __**Half Moon**__? Hmm? Did I somehow grow a foot, or maybe it's __**your**__ foot that's got you reigned in. Quite ticklish, aren't you Red?"_

_I answered with another stream of giggles as his fingers diddled around my arches and toes. "Okay! Hehehe yes! Now haha stop!"_

"_Alright… but only because your giggling would spoil this stake out," He answered with a chuckle of his own._

"_I was __**not **__giggling," I hissed back._

"_Sure, whatever you say tickle boy." He answered quickly, and suddenly my face was as red as my hair._

"_Shut up, like you're not-" I started, but his finger on my lips stopped me._

"_Shh, they're saying something." He whispered._

_I leaned in and listened as the girls began to talk. The leader – the one who our client had warned us about began to speak. She cried angrily as she exclaimed how terrible the boys were that had rejected her and a few others from the group. It was April all over again, but thankfully this time, we had a recorder. And within only thirty minutes of __**actual**__ listening, we had what we had come for… and, no way out._

"_Then we wait," Half Moon muttered, like he was responding to my thoughts. He settled down next to me and leaned his head back, his eyes falling shut. "We should sleep. There's no way for us to get out now, and I told my mom I was sleeping over at your place tonight anyway. It's not like your family will care that we're out for a night."_

_I shrugged. This was true. So I sat back, letting my eyes rest until I had finally fallen asleep. What I awoke to was not Half Moon telling me the coast was clear, and it wasn't the girls discovering us spying on them, it wasn't even the quiet darkness. It was a soft tickling on my cheek that I quickly determined to be Fletcher's dark hair. My eyes focused on the scene in front of me and I blushed. Somehow, during the night, Fletcher's head found it's way to my shoulder, his hands to my chest and my hand around his waist. I grunted and began to move before I remembered where we were._

"_Fletch," I mumbled, shaking him lightly. He smiled and snuggled closer. My blush deepened. "Fletcher!" I said a bit louder._

"_Huh? What? Where am… Red!" He cried, falling back against the closet door with a huff. It opened and he fell onto the floor and out of my arms. A shame… because… I uh, could have taken a picture… yeah._

"_Well that's __**one **__way to check if the coast is clear," I remarked with a smile._

_He blushed and then his eyes widened in realization. He jumped up and looked around. The room was empty. The girls must have gone home earlier in the day. He looked down at his watch and gasped a bit. "It's noon! This tape __**needs**__ to find its way into the hands of our client's principal, now."_

"_Okay, well let's get going then," I said, standing as I slipped on my shoes._

"_Right… well it's okay, why don't you find our client and tell him the case was solved. I'll deliver the tape myself," He argued, already halfway out the door._

"_Wait! Fletch, what's…" I ran to the door, but my partner was already gone._

1: I really don't know if his eyes are blue. In fact, I tried remembering and… nothing on eye color. Then I tried looking it up, still nothing. So please tell me if I have it wrong, but until then I'm sticking with blue, like crystal.


	2. Curiosity, Angst, Grief

**Chapter 2**

**Curiosity, Angst, Grief**

A Half Moon Investigations Story

A RedxMoon Story

Talking _thinking_ Narration

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I want you to know something, to think about something. This was only the beginning. Fletcher's actions only got more suspicious as the days went one, which is what led to Red Shark Investigations' **first**case – discovering Half Moon's secret. Oh and I came up with the name myself – clever, huh? Although my own detective skills were a bit… okay I had none. I **had** been solving cases with Half Moon for months now; I must have picked up _something_, right?

The observation skills I had, which led me to my suspicions about Fletcher. First were his… disappearances. It seemed like each and every time I showed up, he was long gone. At lunch, his food would be eaten faster than anyone else's and he'd be off in some unknown corridor of the school. At recess he was busy interviewing people for his databases. And after school he was off and running home before I could even pack my backpack; I didn't even bring home books! He was **even** "unavailable" when I went over to his house. I was starting to get a bit paranoid. What if I had done something to upset him? But I really couldn't think of anything… more than the usual anyway. Maybe it got to him. Maybe my little pokes and teases finally broke him and he never wanted to see me again! Oh shit. The next day I had resolved to apologize. And a Sharkey, even a reformed one, **never** apologizes.

I cornered him outside his class, skipping mine wasn't a big deal; I barely missed them any more. He walked out as the bell rang and I caught him by the shoulder.

"Fletch, we need to talk," I said.

He nodded and followed me as I pulled him into an empty classroom, but his lips stayed shut. Was he really that upset?

"Uh, look Half- I mean… Fletcher, I noticed that you've… err, I wanted to… I just think… shoot this is harder to do than I thought," I stammered.

"What is?" He asked quietly.

I took a deep breath, "Apologizing."

"Apologizing?" He repeated, shocked. "But you **never** apologize. It's one of the Sharkey's cardinal rules. One you must never break or face the wrath of Papa!"

"Right, I know all that," I replied quickly. "Still, I want to apologize… for… all the stuff I've said to you. I mean before we were friends sure, but _especially _after. We're best friends now, partners, I don't mean to be such an ass… it's just kind of who I am. But I can learn to change that too. So… am I forgiven?"

It looked like he wanted to say something, but his mouth could only form the letters. No sound. None. Seriously, I know an "I'm sorry," is a big thing coming from me, but was it _really_ that surprising! Was I _that_ much of a douche? …Oh, right. I was.

"Fletch?"  
>What happened next was both incredibly surprising and wonder- err, <em>interesting<em>. He hugged me. And not a quick guy-to-guy hug, but a full on, arms around my stomach, head in my chest hug. I blushed, a bit too shocked to hug back. He looked up, his eyes filled with guilt – strange.

"Of course…" He muttered. "And I didn't mean to make you think… that I hated you or something to that effect. I was… I simply had a bit on my mind is all. I'm the one who's sorry. Sorry I was avoiding you."

"So why _were_ you avoiding me anyway," I asked; might as well know the answer.

"Oh… I uh, I've just been really tired and… umm… I didn't want you to worry, or try and make me rest or something along those lines," Half Moon answered, biting his lip.

I looked down at him. It seemed like a stretch… but when I studied his face a bit more I could tell it was the truth. He looked like shit. His eyes were red and surrounded by darkened bags. His usually pale skin was white as a ghost and it even looked like he'd lost a few pounds.

"Jeeze Fletch," I said. "What the hell happened to you?"

He sighed as I pushed a strand of hair from his eyes. "Nothing… I just… the work and databases are taking their toll. I only want us to be the best."

"Okay, well we can't be the best if you drop dead from lack of sleep," I answered in annoyance. "Promise me you'll get some sleep tonight. I don't want you working. Just tonight, okay?"

My arms finally found their way around his tiny form and I squeezed just for emphasis. He sighed again and looked up at me.

"Alright…" He whispered.

And then, a few seconds later. "You can let go of me now."

I looked down and realized we were still hugging. Whoops. Blushing, I pushed him away and ran a hand through my hair. "Sorry."

He grinned. "_Two_ Sharkey apologies in **one** day? I think this must break some kind of record."

"Yeah… well don't get used to it," I replied with a wink. Great, now both of us were blushing.

So after that, things went back to normal, and all was good in Red and Moon Land. I **wish**. But no, things did change; Half Moon stopped avoiding me and we began to hang out again, but things were certainly not _normal_. After our sappy little incident, Fletcher got all… jumpy. I don't really know how to explain it, only that every time I'd brush against him, or look at him for more then a second… he'd jump a foot in the air or blush scarlet. It was kind of ridiculous, but then again… it added to the puzzle. Red Shark Investigations' first case was **still** there for the cracking. Now, thinking back on my cases with Half Moon, I had three things to do; search the crime scene – Fletcher's room; interview witnesses – in this case, Hazel; and spy on the suspects – Half Moon himself. It was a lot to do, so why not start at the top of the list.

Thankfully I knew that Half Moon would be at school late the next day. I could easily run by his place and fake picking something up for him. I could even interview Hazel while I'm at it. So the next day I showed up at his house right on time, and rang the doorbell when I was pretty sure Hazel would be the one to answer it.

"Oh, hey Red, what's up? Fletcher's not here ya know," She said as she suppressed a yawn.

"I'm just here to pick something up for him," I answered – gotta have a good story.

She looked down with a bored stare, opening the door wider as she stepped to the side. "Sure, whatever," She muttered. I followed her up the stairs and stopped before she could close the door to her room.

"Oh, and I wanted to ask you something," I added quickly.

She turned back around, a suspicious look on her face, but it disappeared pretty fast. "Alright, just call me when you're ready. I've got to finish my book. I was up all night on the last chapter."

I nodded and hurried up the stares and into my partner's room. It was neat as always, everything in its place. Well, except for the pounds of paper that always laid scattered across his bed. But… I guess that was kind of its place too. I wandered over to the bed and gave the sheets of paper a once over – where I looked at them all… once. They were all pretty routine stuff, nothing pressing, nothing that couldn't wait. Why was Half Moon up so late finishing these? I walked over to the desk and found nothing unusual, but the trashcan was completely full. I dumped it out and unraveled a ball of paper. The entire page was scratched out, but I could just _barely _make out a few letters. What could an R, a D, an I, an O, a V and a Y mean? I couldn't think of anything. There were other letters in between but… I couldn't make them out. R _ D I _ O V _ Y _ _. Hmm… I got nothing. On another page I found a bunch of weird shapes. They'd been crossed out too, but it was kinda… two circles squashed together, only… pointy at one end; like two circles and a triangle _really_ close together. Well that didn't help me any. I walked to the closet and peered inside. Black… black… black… his mother's crazy colors, and… a red jacket? Ooh! It read, "_Red's._" That's pretty awesome, but it doesn't help any, especially since it _wasn't _mine.

After my completely unsuccessful search, I headed into Hazel's room, knocking on the door and entering at the "come in," that she gave.

"So what's on your mind little Sharkey?" She asked, spinning in her chair to face me.

I grinned – have to play it cool. "Well, I wanted to ask you about Fletcher."

She raised her eyebrow. "What about him?"

"He told me he hasn't been sleeping… and I'm… worried," I muttered, blushing a bit. I cleared my throat and continued. "I just wondered if you could help me figure out why he's not sleeping. And why… well just if there's anything new about him."

A grin was set on her face and it made my blush spread a bit, but eventually she stopped and sighed a bit before answering. "I think it's sweet that you care about him Red, but I don't really think I can help you. I know he hasn't been sleeping, but I've done all I can to help him. As for why, I really can't tell you. But I can tell you this, if you're really intent on figuring it out, I'm sure you will."

I sighed, closing her door on my way out of the Moon house. That was really unhelpful and cryptic. She really _was_ Fletcher's sister. As of now, I had finished the searching and the interviewing, so all that was left was to spy. It wouldn't be much since Half Moon should be leaving the school by now, but I could follow him home. See if he made any unexpected stops. I picked up the pace and started jogging, making sure to keep to the sides of the road for a quick hiding spot when I finally spotted him.

And then I did. I found him and there was no hiding. Before I even knew what was happening I had tackled three older kids to the ground as the other two turned to see what happened. I jumped before they could make a move and made sure the last thing they saw was a flash of red and my fist connecting with their faces. I left them on the ground. Adrenaline released me after that… and I prayed to God it hadn't. Turning as slowly as possible, like my body would shatter if I moved any faster, I saw Half Moon on the gravel. Or… what was left of him. He was bloodied and beaten, his face swollen and red, his arm mangled and legs already turning purple with bruises. He'd managed the fetal position, but that was his last move. He lay helpless at my feet, taking shallow breaths, as still as death. Shit no! NO! I fell to my knees and my hands roamed his body. He wasn't dead. Thank God. His right arm was all that was broken and it didn't seem like there was any other serious injuries. His eyes moved alright, responding to my waving hand as I held them, but he was out cold. I picked him up slowly, careful not to damage anything, and walked over one of his assailants on my fast but steady trip to the hospital. I sneered as I heard the bully grunt in pain.

At the hospital they quickly took my name and called Half Moon's parents, but I threatened them when they tried pulling me away. I think my name had also given them a good reason not to screw with me. I filled them in with as much as I knew and they were kind of shocked at how much I knew about injuries. I don't know why. Sharkey's deal with them a lot. Herod has a frequent customer card here. It was chaos when the Moons arrived. Mrs. Moon was screaming at me, yelling things about how this was my fault. It probably was. Sure he got on people's nerves before, but being best friends with a Sharkey put your name on the map, and not a good map. Mr. Moon followed, a crazed look in his eyes that was masked by his perfectly calm face. Last one in was Hazel. I half expected her to be carrying a tape recorder, a note pad and a large quill, but she held nothing and walked like a zombie. Her eyes and face were completely blank… it scared me, more than her mother's frantic screaming or her father's frightened eyes.

"What happened?" She asked, the eyes drilling holes in my skull.

"I walked up on five kids beating him up," I answered. I wanted to look away. Why couldn't I look away? "I stopped them as fast as I could… I was too late to stop this. I'm… I'm so sorry." I collapsed to the ground at her feet as I continued to beg. I can't ever see myself doing this for anyone else, but Half Moon… this was my fault. It must be.

What surprised me wasn't the fact that _another_ Moon had the courage to hug a Sharkey, but that Hazel was doing it at all. Why would I deserve comfort? Why would she not be hating me for what happened to Fletcher. I really… really didn't understand.

But later that day, as I sat in Fletcher's room, Hazel's head against my shoulder as his Mom and Dad cried silently in a corner… I did sort of get it. I was part of the family now. And in this family, they comforted each other. Not that we Sharkey's didn't… just that they did it in a _very_ different sort of way. A punch on the shoulder was much more Sharkey style.

I looked at the clock for the first time in hours and noticed it was three in the morning. Looking around I noticed Hazel and the Moons were gone… I vaguely remembered glaring the nurses away when they tried to move me. I looked down at Fletcher and coughed the tears away. How could this have happened? It… It _**couldn't**_ have happened! Not to Fletcher. I was his best friend; people _knew_ that. And you don't mess with the Sharkeys. It had to be a dream. The tiny plastic mask that supplied his oxygen fogged up with his breath. It wasn't… a dream. It was real.

And why! Why did this have to happen! How did Fletcher of _all _people deserve this! I deserved it yes! **God** yes! But Half Moon? Not at all! He was so kind and sweet and much to good to do anything wrong. He cared about this stupid town and sure crime and investigations were his passion, but he did it to help this place too. UGH! Investigations! That's why this happened! If Half Moon wasn't so focused and dedicated he wouldn't have gotten beaten up! I'm always telling him to be careful where he sticks his nose, but does he ever listen! No! And… and this… this is the result.

It wasn't his fault though. I was the one who showed him the ropes of the _darker_ side of investigations. I taught him to pick a lock, to sneak into private places, to know when to strike… I never taught him when to stop. What I wouldn't **give** to switch places. If only **I** could be in that bed, stuck with those needles and using that stupid _tube_ to breath… I'd give anything. If I could have just gotten there a few minutes _earlier!_ I would do _anything_, say _anything_, sacrifice _anything_. It's not fair for this to happen to him. And I can't do anything.

I stood and walked to the bed, brushing my hand across the beaten face in front of me. This was all my fault. And I couldn't do _anything_ to stop it. I was helpless. And now Fletcher's going to hate me! He'll know that I didn't stop this… and he'll hate me for it. God _knows_ what it'll do to his face. When it had finally healed from the hurling incident. Wait… but what if… what if he never wakes up! What if… what if he dies? I felt my entire self shatter at the thought. What would I _do_ without Half Moon? How would I move on? After my Mom I just focused on what she left behind… and the promise that I made to her, but what would I do if Fletcher doesn't pull through? Continue investigating? I'm **nothing** without him. I couldn't figure out **anything** without him. I'd be useless. Look how _this_ case is going. Why is my face so wet? Is it raining? Oh… I'm crying. See now? I'm so pathetic. Crying over my best friend's bed as I sob about what happened to him. Wonderful, that's going to help.

But Half Moon's not going to die. He was beaten, he was bloodied and he was almost killed, but I saved him in time to keep him alive. He's going to survive this and I'm going to get to the bottom of his entire story. His emotions, his weirdness and even why those kids attacked him. I'm going to know and then I'm going to make sure that it **never** happens again. I stood and let my fingers graze my best friends face. I laughed. "How could you ever say you were unattractive?" I asked him. "You'll heal up. And look great once again… I know it."

Besides the _extremely_ strange part of that… it was kind of true. Fletcher was kind of… hauntingly pretty. It was weird to a certain extent, because he was definitely not _handsome_; he was pretty. But the point of it all was that he was going to _stay_ pretty. No one else was going to lay a finger on them if I had to stay with him at **all** times. I stopped at the doorway to Half Moon's hospital room and looked back at his sleeping figure. Sure he wasn't _really_ sleeping, but close enough, right? "G'night Fletcher. Tomorrow, you'd better wake up so I can truly get to the bottom of this." I closed the door as silently as possible and took a few steps away. Only to realize, the hospital was closed and I was stuck in here. I reentered the room and took my seat by his bed. Well so much for the graceful exit. I'll do that tomorrow. I sighed, content and worried, and I lay back in the chair and let myself drift off.


	3. Red's Conclusion

**Chapter 3**

**Red's Conclusion**

A Half Moon Investigations Story

A RedxMoon Story

Talking _thinking_ Narration

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THE NEXT MORNING BEGAN MY TRUE INVESTIGATION, when I **finally** buckled down and _really_ started to unravel this mystery. I knew it would be hard and after… the night before, I knew I'd have to be careful not to let my emotions get the better of me. No matter _who_ I was meeting with. Then again, a quick fist to the face never hurt anyone… except whomever the face belonged to, and that was the point. My list was short; the five pieces of shit that _dared_ to do that to Fletcher… and Half Moon himself. I hadn't gotten a good look at the kids who'd done this to Fletcher, but he'd always taught me that the first place to go is to the crime scene. So that's where I headed.

I was there a few minutes later, but my legs grew slower the closer I got. By the time I was on the hauntingly familiar asphalt it felt like I was walking in tar. I looked down and for a second Fletcher was back on the ground, huddled in pain and fear. Where was I when this was – I shook my head clear of the thoughts. Below me was a bit of dried blood, Half Moon's… no doubt, but ahead I saw a tiny slip of paper. It was wedged in a crack in the street, but with a gentle tug, it came free. I unfolded my first clue with anticipation; a… laundry receipt? …With an address! I turned and ran to the address printed on my tiny spark of hope.

The doorbell rang as I waited on the front steps of the house. If this weren't one of them I'd be screwed. "Hello?" a voice said, as the door swung open. Yep, it was him.

The blond boy the stood in front of me was my height, though I was pretty sure he was in Fletcher's grade. More importantly, he was one of the kids to attacked Half Moon. The last one I took down. His eyes widened as he saw me and moved to slam the door shut. I caught it.

"What… what are you d-doing here?" He asked, shrinking away from me.

"I'm here to ask you something," I replied. "I already paid you back for that night… well some anyway."

"Look, I'm sorry okay? It really wasn't my idea!" He exclaimed. "I was just hanging with my friends, and he came along. They all shouted the plan and ran. I didn't have time to say anything! I knew he was yours…"

"_Mine?_" I thought. What did he mean by that? "Why did they do it?"

He looked at me with a renewed fear in his eyes, like he was afraid to give me an answer.

"Why!"

"B-because," He muttered. "I… it wasn't my idea! Please! Ask the others!"

I sighed; this was going to get me nowhere. He was too choked with fear. "Fine. Who are the others? Where do they live?"

A few minutes later I had swung by my place and was biking to the second culprit's house. I arrived at the old place in record time – I guess rage was a great fuel source. But this time I needed to try with a bit of finesse. "Jack."

More widened eyes, "I'm SORRY! Please! I don't need another bruise!"

"Shut it now idiot," I snarled – so much for finesse. "One question, then I'll leave." He nodded furiously. "Okay. Why the hell did you do it?"

"Because… we… we chose _him_ because…" He muttered quietly. I glared at him until he continued. "Because he's gay."

Stunned. That's exactly how I felt at that moment. What… what the hell was this kid saying? Gay! Half Moon was **not** gay. He might not be the toughest or the best at sports, but he **wasn't**… he _wasn't… _he wasn't… right?

"What… you, didn't know?" Jack asked, beginning to grin. "Hmm, well I suppose everyone was wrong. We all thought you two were an item." His grin turned into a scowl. "It's disgusting. At least now I can tell the others you're alright again. Even if you do hang out with that little fa-"

He was up on his toes, his shirt clutched in my tightened fist within seconds. "You say another _**word**_about him and I will _kill_ you. I don't know what's what right now, but Fletcher is my _friend._ And I won't stand for you talking shit about him. _Understand?_" I spat each word at him with such anger I thought my head might explode.

I threw the kid down onto his wooden floor and stalked off. I needed to talk to Fletcher now. And the look on that guy's face was _more _than enough for me. Maybe I should apologize… send him a diaper to clean up that mess. With a grin on my face and my heart beating quickly with uncertainty, I hurried to the hospital to get the true scoop.

I walked into his hospital room and felt might throat choke a bit. He looked so pathetic; attached to all those wires and with the IV dripping every few minutes. "Fletch…? You… awake?"

He grinned at me, his head swaying back and forth to look at me. Usually his grin made me smile, it sent a small tingle through my spine – what? I want him to be happy – but now, this smile was completely drug induced and it… scared the hell out of me. His glazed-over eyes pointed in my general direction. "Hey! R-red! Hehe… your name… its cuz your hair is red. You're a GINGER! Hehe."

My heart ached a bit. "T-that's right…" I replied. "It's me. How are ya feeling Half Moon?"  
>My old partner giggled. "Half Moon… it's funny. I'm short." My heart sank even further. Fletcher didn't giggle. It didn't suit him, not at all.<p>

I sat on the edge of his bed and reached for his hand.

"Red!" He shouted happily. "Your hair! It's so… so… red! Hehe, red." He ran his hand through my hair. I sighed a bit… and then remembered why I was there, and what had happened.

"Right, I know that Fletch," I replied. "My hair's red. We know. But… Fletch I-"

"It's… so pretty," He whispered suddenly, running his tiny hand back through my hair and letting my fiery tendrils drift through his fingers. "Really, really pretty… just like you."

Wait… what? I sat back a bit shocked, but didn't move from his touch. Was… he serious? "Fletch… I have to ask you something."

"Red! Red! Red!" He cried happily. "You're names pretty too!"

"Okay Half Moon," I said, a bit frustrated. "Now, answer me please! Fletch… do you… are you…"

Suddenly my partner's face got serious. He looked at me, his eyes still and focused. They examined my face with such intensity I thought he might be counting my freckles. I flushed under his gaze.

"Red," He started. "Have I ever told you how wonderful you are? How much I think of you? And how beautiful I think those eyes are; green, like the forest. I think your gorgeous Red Sharkey, every part of you. From your flaming red hair, to your cute, ticklish toes, you are beautiful."

I sat still as a board. He… Fletcher really… really feels… he _is_… it's true. "Fletch… do you-"

"Hehe Fletcher! That's _**my**_ name!" He sang, giggling at every word. "It has to do with arrows! But I can't shoot an arrow… I wonder why I was named Fletcher… if I can't shoot arrows."

He was rambling again. He was loopy again. What happened there that caused that serious confession? "Half…"

"Half of my heart!" My partner sang, kind of beautifully really, but I was surprised he knew the song. "Red… you know _my_ heart is with you!"

He laughed and pulled up his sheet bashfully. It was sweet, but also confusing. "What do you mean Fletcher?"  
>He sighed in exasperation. "I <em><strong>mean<strong>_that I, Fletcher Moon, Private Investigator, is in _looooooove_ with **you**! I love you _so_ much. THIS much!" He gestured a large space – his love.

How many times can I go into shock? This must be some kind of record. I looked up, but my partner was suddenly back asleep. Good. I needed… needed some time. I stood and walked out of hospital. I didn't know where I was going exactly… but I just needed some air. Walking briskly in a random direction, I had my time to think.

Half Moon is… in love with me? I felt my entire partnership with Fletcher flash before my eyes. How did I not notice? All the blushes, the shy smiles, the content looks; it was so obvious. But then I wondered. I thought to my self, what are my feelings about this? I couldn't bear to have that _Jack_ insult him, I hated watching him in any kind of pain, and the idea of him being upset hurt me. Even now, knowing Fletcher's feelings and everything about him… I'm not angry. Well a little annoyed that he had to be drugged to tell me, but… I still want to be around him. I still want to be his partner, to solve cases together, to continue our late-night stakeouts or the simple sleepovers. But… it was more… _he_ was more. I though about how my heart jumped when I saw him smile, how I grew anxious when I knew my time with him was only minutes away, how it sent shivers down my back when he touched me. I don't know when it happened, or if I would have _ever_ figured it out if Fletcher hadn't gotten hurt, but… I realized something at that moment. I loved Fletcher Moon. With all his quirks, his overly complicated way of speaking and his **complete** lack of good reputation, I loved that kid. And it was stupid that I didn't see it sooner.

My new revelation spread a grin, wide across my face. I needed to go back, to tell Fletcher everything. I looked up at a clock that I noticed out of the corner of my eye. Somehow, it had been four hours since Half Moon's confession. Wow… heartfelt realizations take a lot of time.

"Hey Red," Fletcher muttered as I entered his room. He looked a bit tired, but I could tell that the drugs had worn off. Good, I needed him clear-headed for this. There had to be one of us.

"Hey Fletch," I replied, sitting at his bedside.

"Red… I wanted to… to thank you for saving me," He said, smiling lightly. "Again. I'm sorry you always have to do so."

I frowned. "What are you talking about? Don't apologize for getting beat up! Jeeze Fletcher, I know your upset at yourself, but _still_. I'm your… friend, you don't need to thank me."  
>Now it was his turn to frown. "Why the pause?" Sometimes his detective skills were extremely annoying.<p>

"Fletch… you don't… remember me coming in to see you this morning, do you?" I asked timidly.

His brows furrowed and his eyes glossed over, like he was looking into the past. "I don't… believe so. Did you? Why did something happen?"  
>Again… that stupid intuition finds its way into everything. "Fletch… you were kind of drugged. For the pain I mean, and well… I guess you weren't really in control of what you were saying and umm… Half Moon… you confessed."<p>

Confused, his brow wrinkled again. It was kind of cut- okay not what I needed to be focusing on right now. "Confessed…" He said. "To what?"

"Fletcher, I went to those guys who attacked you, and asked _why_?" I answered. I might as well start at the beginning.

He blanched, but I continued. "Then I came back here, and in since you were drugged you just… confessed."

He cleared his throat and wrung his hands together. "I taught you far too much."

"So it's true?" I asked. His earlier confession was… something, but I needed a clear-headed answer.

"What do you think?" He asked a bit coyly. "What does your investigation tell you?"

"That… that it's true," I stammered. I felt my cheeks burn with anxiety. What if… I was wrong. What if that was just a loopy slur of words that didn't mean anything? "That…"

"That what Red? Say it." He looked at me, confidence rolling off of him, but fear in his eyes.

I don't think I could say it. There's no way I could say it. My heart sped faster than ever. I thought it might even explode. "That you love me."

"You would be right…" He answered quickly. It was true! He _loved_ me! My heart fluttered with happiness… at least, until he continued. "I guess… this is the end of Half Moon Investigations, huh?"

"What?" I asked, confused.

"Well it won't really exist without you…" He replied, a sad smile on his face.

Now I saw there this was going. I sighed. Did he really think I would leave him? That after learning his secret I would just leave? Not saying much for me… but I guess I would probably think the same. And who knows how long he's had to keep this secret. "Who says I'm going anywhere?"

His eyes widened in shock. I think his heart might have stopped for a minute too. "You're… you're not disgusted?"

I grinned and rolled my eyes. "Jeeze Fletch," I said with a smirk. "You really are slacking. I think I'm starting you surpass you."

I saw the happiness grow in his eyes. They glistened with happiness, but he was still the Half Moon I knew, not **about** to let me win our little verbal spar. "Not a chance. I just haven't had as much time… or enough courage. Really Red?"

"Yeah Half Moon," I confessed, smiling though my cheeks must match my hair by now. "I love you too."

You know those cheesy movies? Where the girl and guy oblivious of each other, then they realize each other's love and end it in a small kiss? I mean… uh, not that I've seen those, but… shut up. Anyway, it was _**exactly**_ like that. Both of us were blushing bright red, but we leaned in and tilted enough to connect. I know I've never seen those movies, but… what they say about the fireworks? They're completely right. Fletcher pulled back first and a sigh escaped my lips.

Half Moon grinned. "So… what are we going to do about the rest of the populous?"

"Let's see them try something with me and my family," I replied, smiling as well. I'd be with Fletch if _I_ wanted to, screw everyone else.

His smile widened and _this_ one sent butterflies into my heart. "You really are awesome," He said. Nice.

"Yeah, I know," I replied, winking at him.

He laughed and I felt my blush grow a bit.

"Hey!" I exclaimed laughing as well. Hey, even if I was embarrassed, his laugh was infectious. I really do love him.


End file.
